ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mate — a partner
  3. track — a song
  4. club — a group
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. track — a path
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. craft — boats
  14. club — for golf
  15. mate — to breed
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bat — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. charge — electricity
  23. craft — a skill
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com